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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23546032">INT. Hotel Room - Dawn</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/'>Anonymous</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Schitt's Creek (TV) RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Comfort, Feelings, Final Day of Filming, M/M, fluff and a bit of angst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 16:34:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,080</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23546032</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The morning of the final day of shooting. A documentary is filmed.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dan Levy/Noah Reid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>67</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Anonymous</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>INT. Hotel Room - Dawn</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They’re both awake and they both know it. </p><p>Noah stares at the ceiling while Dan is curled on his side, facing the wall, as pre-dawn light spills in through the windows whose curtains have purposefully been left open to make getting up at this ungodly hour slightly more bearable. </p><p>Slightly. </p><p>Noah looks over at the rigid line of Dan’s shoulders, at the tension that has them hunched up to his ears. That won’t do. Despite the very nature of a documentary, Dan would probably like to appear a little more relaxed. A little more in control. It’s a carefully curated collection of stolen, natural moments. Not entirely real, but... close. </p><p>Noah inhales deeply and listens as Dan’s breath echoes his a moment later. What’s real is this, here, now. The space between them on warm sheets in disarray from a mostly sleepless night. </p><p>Rolling over, he tucks his knees up behind Dan’s and gets an arm around his waist, sneaking his hand underneath Dan’s t-shirt and pressing over his heart as he buries his nose in his hair. </p><p>“What do you need?” </p><p>He hears Dan swallow and a shaky inhale breaks the silence that follows. </p><p>“This. You.” </p><p>“Okay,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to the space behind his ear and closing his eyes, shutting down every errant thought that uses words like ‘last’ and ‘final’ and ‘goodbye’ because that’s not what either of them needs right now. And if he can’t get a steady shot because his shoulders are shaking from crying too much, he can add Amy to the list of people who will kill him if he allows himself to get emotional. He’s become known as a kind of rock; the only one who manages to keep it together. He can’t let everyone down by falling apart right before the finish line. </p><p>Minutes pass and he loses himself to the rise and fall of Dan’s chest. As if his internal body clock knows, though, he lifts his head from the pillow and glances at the alarm clock on the hotel’s bedside table. </p><p>“It’s time,” he whispers, and he feels Dan nod against his nose. He presses a kiss to the back of his neck as he uncoils himself from around Dan’s body and slides from the bed, tucking the covers back up and fluffing the pillow - erasing any evidence that he was there in the first place. </p><p>He ignores the pang that seems to originate somewhere behind his sternum as he moves around the bed, squeezing Dan’s foot as he passes. He brushes his teeth in the bathroom and pulls on a pair of jeans and a blue t-shirt, packing what little he’ll need on set in a backpack, before pulling out the camera and the strict instructions Amy left for him when she agreed to this. </p><p>Despite his fervent wishes, his hands shake as he sets it up, and he clears his throat as he centers the bed in the frame. He knows how important this is. He knows how much it means to Dan and to the fans and to every single person who's left a fingerprint on this show. This is Amy’s baby and yet she let them have this. </p><p>He’ll be damned if he fucks it up now. </p><p>“Are you rolling?” Dan asks, startling him slightly. </p><p>“About to,” he replies. “Need a minute?” </p><p>“No,” he says, shifting slightly on the bed. “Just - ” he holds out his hand and wiggles his fingers, one of the many wordless ways he gets Noah’s attention. And Noah, because he’s smitten, always does as requested, padding back into the bedroom and threading their fingers together and squeezing. </p><p>“When you’re ready.”</p><p>Dan nods and tugs Noah toward him, pressing a kiss to his knuckles that has the breath catching in Noah’s throat. “I’m ready.” </p><p>Well if he wasn’t shaking before, he certainly is now. “The alarm’s about to go off,” he murmurs, bending down and kissing Dan’s forehead before hurrying back to the suite’s living room and centering the bed in the frame once more. </p><p>He presses record and gets a minute or two of quiet footage before Dan’s phone rings. He watches through the frame as Dan wipes his eyes and turns it off, flicking the light on and squinting in the brightness. He sits up and puts his glasses on, stretching in the early morning light, and Noah just sits quietly, filming it all. He’d promised Amy he’d record as much as possible, and Amy promised in return to edit judiciously. </p><p>“Absolutely <em> not,</em>” Dan mutters as he pads into the bathroom to relieve himself, and Noah laughs as the door is shut in his face. He stops recording and waits until Dan opens the door again, remaining at the sink as he washes his face. Patting his face dry and sliding his glasses back on, Noah hits record again, keeping himself carefully out of the mirror. </p><p>“Seriously?” Dan mumbles. “While I’m brushing my teeth?” </p><p>Noah snorts. “Babe, your eyes aren’t even open.” He <em> knows </em>he won’t have to tell Amy to edit that part out. </p><p>But it’s true, Dan’s eyes are closed as he runs the electric toothbrush around his mouth, and Noah tilts his head as he takes a moment to just watch him - this beautiful, generous, genius man, soft as only he can be early in the morning, preparing himself to say goodbye to the first love of his life. </p><p>That Noah might be able to count himself as the second is a gift too momentous to process on an already heady day. </p><p>He backs up into the living room and follows Dan around as he packs up his backpack and grabs a water bottle from the mini-fridge. They’ll each shower in their separate trailers on location, and once they leave here, their walls have to go up to get the job done. Though their relationship is the worst kept secret on set, the world at large isn’t privy to it. Not yet. </p><p>And as Noah watches Dan reach for the door, he loudly inhales because he’s realizing in this moment that he’s not ready to say goodbye to their cocoon just yet. At the noise, Dan freezes and turns, eyebrows rising in silent question. </p><p>Caught, Noah clears his throat and shakes his head. “Sorry, let’s go.” </p><p>But Dan just stares at him for a moment, in that way that makes him feel so utterly and completely <em> seen. </em>“Turn the camera off,” he murmurs. </p><p>“What?” </p><p>“Turn the camera off,” Dan repeats. </p><p>Noah does so and swallows as Dan crosses the room, cups his cheek with his free hand, and presses their lips together in a lingering kiss that says so many things they can’t find the words for at the moment. Things they don’t <em> need </em> the words for. </p><p>Dan pulls away and ducks slightly so he can catch Noah’s gaze, holding it for a moment. “When you’re ready,” he repeats and Noah smiles, taking the hand still cupping his cheek and pressing a kiss to its palm. </p><p>“I’m ready.” He grabs his hat from the coffee table and places it at an odd angle on his head, just to get the eyeroll Dan lovingly bestows on him. </p><p>Dan nods and turns anyway, heading for the door again. Noah hits record and catches him opening it, before following at a slight distance down the hall to the elevator. Dan hits the button and luckily it's right there. Noah gives Dan a second to enter, and Dan holds the door so Noah can jump in himself. As soon as the doors slide shut, he turns off the camera and gets his free arm around Dan’s neck, pulling him in for a tight hug. </p><p>“I’m so fucking proud of you,” he whispers, and Dan makes a choked noise into his shoulder. </p><p>“Jesus, Noah. The day’s just begun.” </p><p>Noah hums and gently sways with him. “It might be my only opportunity.” </p><p>Dan nods and Noah presses a kiss to the spot on Dan’s neck that he’s claimed as Dan turns to ghost his lips across Noah’s cheek, catching his ear in the process. They step away from each other just as the elevator reaches the ground floor, doors sliding open with a ding. </p><p>Amy’s DOP Chris is waiting in the lobby, and Noah gives him a cheeky grin as he hands the equipment over. </p><p>“Went a little rogue. Hope Amy doesn’t mind.” </p><p>Chris barks out a laugh as he sets himself up. “It’s your funeral.” </p><p>“He followed her instructions to a T,” Dan defends and Noah shoots him a wink. </p><p>“Ready?” Chris asks, and Dan looks at Noah who gives him an encouraging smile and takes a step back so he’s just over Chris’ shoulder, well out of frame. </p><p>A flicker of pain ripples across Dan’s face at that before it’s replaced by a grimace of self-deprecation. “As we’ll ever be.” </p><p>“You got this,” Noah mouths, and Dan swallows and nods, turning towards the doors as Chris starts recording once more. </p><p>Thankfully, the lobby is empty at the early hour and their sad little parade goes largely unnoticed except for a lone receptionist who gives them a tiny thumbs up. Noah smiles back and nods his thanks as he follows Dan and Chris out the door, waiting his turn to load into the idling SUV. Dan gets into the front passenger seat and Chris gets in the back next, sliding all the way over so he can get over-the-shoulder footage of Dan en route. Noah gets in last, dropping his bag by his feet and slamming the door shut. </p><p>Normally, when he and Dan share a car together, they both sit in the back, though when Dan’s on his own, he likes to sit in the front. It’s weird to be separated like this, especially today. </p><p>Dan must know what he’s thinking because his right hand reaches back a moment later and he wiggles his fingers again. Noah huffs out a breath and takes it, squeezing tightly as the radio lowly plays a song none of them is listening to.  </p><p>They hold hands the entire ride, and the camera doesn’t catch a thing. They’re silent, contemplative, watching the sun break over the horizon. </p><p>All too soon, the neon placard labeled <b>SC6 BASECAMP </b>is upon them, and they’re turning into the field that’s been commandeered by trucks and trailers. Their home away from home. </p><p>“I’ll go first,” Noah offers as they pull to a park, and Chris nods silently as Dan squeezes his hand once more. Noah grabs his bag and opens the door, sliding his sunglasses on his face like the armor it is. </p><p>Ivan, one of the audio operators, is waiting with his portable equipment to plug into the camera for the day’s pickups. Noah bids him good morning as he starts to walk because, though this documentary is about the entire show, it’s very much about Dan, and he wants to give Dan this final journey to set to be alone with his thoughts. </p><p>Just up ahead, he can see Annastasia standing on the top step of the hair and makeup trailer, filming the sunrise. As her phone turns towards him, he hears her say, “Noah, it’s our last day.” </p><p>“It sure is,” he replies, once again ignoring the pang in his chest. “Morning.” </p><p>Dan remains quiet behind him and, if he knows him like he thinks he does, he probably threw up a peace sign or something, but he doesn’t turn around to check.</p><p>He passes a trailer he knows intimately - the one with <b>David Rose </b>printed on the door - and gives it a little nod; a silent thanks for all of the private moments it’s protected from the outside world. </p><p>They part here - Noah’s trailer is just up ahead - and he tries not to get maudlin about it, but damn if it’s not getting harder and harder - </p><p>“Noah?” </p><p>He stops and turns, sunglasses slipping down his nose to expose the fact that his eyes aren’t completely dry. “Yeah?” </p><p>Dan is standing on the first step of his trailer, hand tight on the railing as he stares at him. “Thank you.” And not just for this morning. </p><p>“Daniel,” he murmurs, slightly shaking his head, as if to say <em> You don’t have to thank me, you idiot. I love you.  </em></p><p>And Dan smiles and breathes out a wet breath, nodding his uncoiffed head and placing a hand over his heart. </p><p>Noah knows he means <em> I love you too. </em></p>
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